Collection inventory

Overview of the Collection
Creator:	Lemke, Antje Bultmann.
Title:	Antje Bultmann Lemke Collection Relating to Albert Schweitzer
Inclusive Dates:	1907-circa 2003
Quantity:	10 linear ft.
Abstract:	Research material and memorabilia relating to Albert Schweitzer and his work, amassed by Schweitzer admirer and collector Antje Bultmann Lemke; also some original Helene Schweitzer material including journals and correspondence
Language:	English, French, German
Repository:	Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries 222 Waverly Avenue Syracuse, NY 13244-2010 https://library.syracuse.edu/special-collections-research-center

Biographical History

Antje Bultmann Lemke (b. 1918) is a German-American librarian and Schweitzer scholar. In addition to her long career as a librarian and teacher, she has worked for many years to ensure the preservation and documentation of Schweitzer's work.

Lemke's father, noted theologian Rudolf Bultmann, was a friend and admirer of Schweitzer's, and Lemke herself intended to become a doctor. However, acceptance to medical school in Germany at that time required membership in the Nazi Party, which Lemke refused to consider. Instead, she earned a degree in Library Science from the University of Leipzig, all the while using her position as librarian to assist those escaping Germany and passing information between members of anti-Nazi resistance organizations, putting her life in jeopardy on more than one occasion.

In 1949 she came to the United States, and shortly thereafter was hired as Art and Music Librarian by Syracuse University (SU). She remained at SU for more than thirty years, as librarian and later as a teacher in the university's School of Library and Information Science. In addition to her teaching, she translated into English two of Schweitzer's books: Out of My Life and Thought: An Autobiography and The Albert Schweitzer-Helene Bresslau Letters, 1902-1912. The Antje Bultmann Lemke Seminar Room, located in SU's Special Collections Research Center, is named for her.

In 1973 Lemke met Erica Anderson, creator of the 1959 Oscar-winning documentary "The Life and Times of Albert Schweitzer." The two became friends, and Lemke became involved in Anderson's work with the Albert Schweitzer Friendship House, eventually serving ten years as President of its Board of Directors. When the ASFH sold its house and property in the 1990s, Lemke was instrumental in the transfer of Anderson's photographic archive to Syracuse University. She also donated her father's correspondence with Schweitzer to Syracuse University, and persuaded her long-time friend Rhena Schweitzer Miller, Schweitzer's daughter, to deposit Schweitzer's own papers there as well.

[Portions of this biographical sketch adapted from "The Antje Lemke Endowed Fellowship," on the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship website at http://www.schweitzerfellowship.org.]

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Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Antje Bultmann Lemke Collection Relating to Albert Schweitzer consists of writings, correspondence and subject files relating to various Schweizer organizations and Schweitzer events, and a few miscellaneous items.

Writings relate almost entirely to Lemke's translations of Schweitzer's books, Out of My Life and Thought: An Autobiography and The Albert Schweitzer-Helene Bresslau Letters, 1902-1912. This series includes manuscripts, drafts, research notes, proof copies and other related material.

Schweitzer organization files contain correspondence, publicity, photographs, and other items to and from the Hôpital Albert Schweitzer Deschapelles, Haiti; Albert Schweitzer Friendship House (later Albert Schweitzer Center); Association Internationale de L’Oeuvre du Docteur Albert Schweitzer de Lambaréné (AISL); Albert Schweitzer Fellowship; Archives Centrales Albert Schweitzer; and others.

Schweitzer theme events include material relating to symposia, coursework, workshops, and more.

Miscellanea contains papers relating to the Schweitzer collections at Syracuse University and elsewhere, a poster for the Schweitzer Friendship House, and a charcoal portrait of Schweitzer by an unknown artist.

Helene Schweitzer original material includes journals spanning more than forty years, correspondence, and family memorabilia.

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Arrangement of the Collection

The collection has received minimal processing. Most remains in original order, and in the original file folders as donated. The inventory below is a simple box list.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advanced notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.

Use Restrictions

Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

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Related Material

Special Collections Research Center has extensive holdings relating to Albert Schweitzer. To locate all relevant manuscript material, the researcher should search our holdings; please refer to the SCRC Subject Index and search for "Schweitzer." To locate monographs and other published works, please refer to Libraries Search

Collections of particular interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Albert Schweitzer Fellowship Records
• Albert Schweitzer Papers
• Charles R. Joy Papers
• Grant Foundation / Hôpital Albert Schweitzer Records
• Hermann Hagedorn Papers

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Subject Headings

Persons

Corporate Bodies

Associated Titles

Subjects

Genres and Forms

Occupations

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Antje Bultmann Lemke Collection Relating to Albert Schweitzer,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Gift of Antje Bultmann Lemke, 2010.

Finding Aid Information

Created by: PRB
Date: 4 Nov 2010
Revision history:

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Inventory

	Writings by Antje Bultmann Lemke
		Books
			Out of my life and thought: an autobiography / by Albert Schweitzer; newly translated by A.B. Lemke; preface by Rhena Schweitzer Miller and A. B. Lemke. New York; Henry Holt, 1990.
Box 1				Manuscript
Box 1				Research notes
Box 1				Corrected proofs
Box 1				Correspondence
			The Albert Schweitzer-Helene Bresslau letters / 1902-1912 by Antje Bultmann Lemke. Syracuse, NY., Syracuse University Press, 2003
Box 1				Manuscript
Box 1				Research
Box 1				Contracts
		Articles
Box 1			"Albert Schweitzer and Human Rights"

	Schweitzer organization files
		Hôpital Albert Schweitzer Deschapelles, Haiti
Box 2			Correspondence
Box 2			Publicity
Box 2			Artwork
Box 2			Photographs
		Albert Schweitzer Center (Albert Schweitzer Friendship House)
Box 3			Correspondence
Box 4			Correspondence (continued)
Box 3			Publicity
Box 4			Publicity (continued)
Box 3			Events
Box 4			Events (continued)
Box 3			Photographs
Box 4			Photographs (continued)
Box 4			Erica Anderson memorabilia
		A.I.S.L. (Association Internationale de L’Oeuvre du Docteur Albert Schweitzer de Lambaréné)
Box 5			Correspondence
Box 5			Publicity
Box 5			Events
Box 5			Photographs
		Albert Schweitzer Fellowship
Box 5			Correspondence
Box 5			Publicity
		Archives Centrales Albert Schweitzer
Box 5			Correspondence
		Other Schweitzer organizations
Box 5			Miscellaneous

	Schweitzer theme events
Box 6		Symposia
Box 6		Course material
Box 6		Workshops
Box 6		Schweitzer and Bach performances (Tennessee Players)

	Miscellaneous
Box 7		Subject files
		Schweitzer collections material
Box 8			Syracuse University
Box 8			"Guide to Schweitzer Collections"
Box 9		Schweitzer Friendship House poster
Box 9		Charcoal portrait of Albert Schweitzer

	Helene Schweitzer original material
Box 10		Journals 1907-1951
Box 10		Correspondence
Box 10		Family memorabilia

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